Utage Sake Bar in Rijnbuurt

The staff are super friendly, the vibes are on point, and the food is fire! Hands down one of the best bang for your buck spots. Definitely coming back this place!!

Japanese, authentic azakaya style, one of the best in Amsterdam. Out of the normal touristic area - south east Amsterdam. Sharing plates and had extras. Delicious, presentation and testes. We will definitely be going back. The marinated tuna and cured egg told was the beeest. Though not a big sake drinker , they had a good selection.

A very warm welcome, friendly staff. I let the waiter choose my food, and she made a great selection. My favorite was the starter, tamari cream cheese. I also had the delicious fried octopus with a very tasty sauce, the yellowtail, and tantan somen. As an appetizer, I had the seafood sparkling, which was delicious. And to finish, again at the waiter's recommendation, I had the organic genmacha tea, a delicious tea with roasted rice. Definitely recommended!

Deliciosos foods and nice staff hospitality. Authentic Japanese quality.

My fav Japanese place in Amaterdam so far

This was recommended to me a couple of years ago and I went there with friends in the winter. This was a step up from any Japanese I had had - we had a range of their starters / tapas which were unique and of course the extensive range of sakis. We returned 2 years later and the standard hasn’t been compromised - if anything the menu is changed and still fresh. Special mentions to the scallops which are unlike any we have ever had and the aubergine and miso. The sake range also exceptional with staff who know all about the varieties.

A very nice and cosy restaurant. Food is served quickly. I reserved almost last minute; was on the waiting list and got contacted after submitting a request online by 10minutes for the same day. It mad my day and enjoyed the evening. Very nice staff. Pannacotta Matcha is highly recommended.

Amazing food. Love this place !!

This Japanese-style tapas bar got the concept right. Food comes out fast, so you’re not stuck waiting or trying to decide everything at once. The community table setup makes the place feel more relaxed, ideal for a casual night out with friends. One thing that stood out was the staff. We were a group of three, and a few dishes came with just two pieces. Without us even asking, they offered to adjust the servings so we didn’t have to split anything awkwardly. It’s a small thing, but it really made the experience smoother. Highly recommended.

We had an amazing experience dining here. Food was lovely and fresh, tuna (both fatty and lean) was the best I had and slices of it on nigiri and on donburi were nice, thick and flavourful. We also had karaage which was huge and juicy, unagi don, aubergine and chocolate cake for dessert - can recommend every single dish. Sake choice is great and flavour profiles are described on the menu which is helpful. You can try a little bit before you commit to your choice, which is helpful if you’re struggling to decide. Non alcoholic spritz was also lovely. I wish I could take this restaurant with all its food and staff and take it with me back to the UK so I could eat here more often! Worth a detour from Amsterdam centre too.

Haven't had such a nice dinner in a long time! High quality food and perfect service. Recommending all my friends to go

Delicious!! Every dish was so uniquely flavorful.

As I am Japanese, this restaurant provides a really authentic Japanese food which you can eat in Ginza or somewhere very expensive district in Japan with reasonable price. Very friendly stuffs and the atmosphere is so nice! I’m glad to know that this quality and cosiness coexist in Amsterdam! Thank you very much! You guys are really great!

What a lovely place. Delicious food, a pleasant atmosphere with pleasant music. Friendly service that takes its time. A nice sake menu with interesting options. And reasonably priced for what's offered.

Food was nice. We had the pork neck that was so large it was difficult to eat. If cut into small pieces it would be better. It is a nice experience to dine here.

Best service, great food, and high quality. It's worth the price

🌹Hikari and Ai🌹 in Utage Sake bar — two amazing girls working at this bar — truly touched me with their kindness, warmth, and genuine care. I was honestly impressed: the service was exceptional, the welcome was warm and personal, and the place itself was spotlessly clean and cozy. These lovely girls made my visit truly memorable. ❤️Wishing you both the best of luck, wonderful guests, and continued success. Thank you for your heart and hospitality! ❤️ Aida😘

The best Japanese food I've had outside of Japan. Get the tuna rice bowl and thank me later. They also have an excellent selection of sake but I wouldn't mind if they expanded their Japanese whiskey list as well.

Amazing food and really nice staff. 10/10

Really fresh food nice service calm and 'gezellig" atmosphere. The tuna is definetely of a much higher quality and well prepped than an ordinary restaurant or with sushi. Beef skewer with egg was tender and flavorful. Desert chocolate cake with matcha was really nice and the matcha isn't one of those overly sweet ones. The food was good enough for me to forget taking pictures

LOVED everything about this restaurant! Good foood, super nice service and the best quality, I will repeat!

This izakaya place has authentic japanese dishes with top quality ingredients and amazing flavours, they also have a big selection of sake and I was very happy they had umeshu.The service was excellent!

Small potion and some dishes weren’t that great

The restaurant is very authentic to Japan with small plates to share (even the mains are small plates). The restaurant is cozy so I recommend making a reservation if possible. Everything about the experience was amazing. The server suggested 4-6 dishes in total. We had the white fish nigiri of the day (sea bass), karage, croquette, unagi don and duck soba. We arrived very hungry and for 2 people this was the perfect amount of food. We also ordered the Abe junmai sake (tokurri size) which was crisp, light and refreshing. For tokurri or bottles of sake they bring out a tray of different small cups to chose from, which were all beautiful, and a fun touch. Overall we spent €81 and left very happy. We will be back!

Very friendly service and well presented and tasty Japanese shared platter style food.. the sake choice is enormous, and categorized by taste profile - the recommendations were really good quality. The venue is very Feng Shui , but sitting in the middle the noise level was a bit on the loud side. I had to repeat my dietary restrictions which was the only minus for me (i had mentioned it in the reservation but it was missed on arrival)

An outstanding izakaya-style experience. Every dish was flawlessly executed—so good we kept ordering more. Service was attentive and warm, adding to the experience. Easily one of the best Japanese meals we've had. If you're in Amsterdam, this place is a must. Highly recommended!

Delicious food and delicious sake. Great service! We felt like we were back in Japan.

This is the most japanese izakaya experience you can get while you are in NL and not in Japan. Really feels like you are in Japan. Do not miss! Sake selection: amazing Taste of food: amazing Vibe: amazing Service: amazing

The food was outstanding. We got super fresh sushi, great warm dishes and special desserts. And a lot of sake and Saporro beer. Great service, nice Japanese staff. We will come back for sure. A hidden gem!

Delightful experience, delicious and original Japanese food. We were served at the bar and the waiter was friendly and gentle, he recommended very good sakes and dishes! Will definitely come again

Feels like a true trip to Japan!

Food service atmosphere all amazing Thank you very much✨

Literally perfect service and food

Really like this sake bar, the team is very friendly and the service is great. Food is excellent and the menu is changing and progressing nicely. Recommended.

Excellent spot to sample sake from their extensive selection while enjoying some deliciously prepared food. Service is attentive yet not intrusive.

Amazing experience at Utage! The food was fantastic, we did a sake testing and all of them were really good. The service was excellent, thank you guys!

This place it’s becoming in my favorite spot in Amsterdam. Very good food quality, very good service, amazing sake menu!!

Amazing food selection. As a Japanese person I can definitely say it tastes exactly like the food in Japan

The most authentic and delicious Japanese restaurant in Amsterdam. I can definitely recommend this for an amazing experience.

Excellent authentic food and great sake with good service, highly recommended

This place is one of my favourite spots to come and have a great time with amazing food. Lovely authentic spot, creative dishes and amazing flavours. Hospitality is great and always a very warm welcome!

What a find! So excited about this place, it’s a wonderful experience from learning about sake to picking your own unique sake glass for the night. Got to taste three different types before choosing the one we liked most. I’ve also done the sake tasting where you can choose any three off the entire menu, the 2 year aged sake was incredible. Food was ranging from really good to exceptional - would highly recommend the oysters, fatty tuna and the eel don. Staff were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. We paid around €55 per person for 6 dishes and sake. I believe there are many places serving good food but very few that offer a similar experience. Will definitely come back! UPDATE: I’ve been coming back for almost a year now and can say this is one of the most unique and interesting places on the Amsterdam map. It’s an absolute must-visit!

The food is amazing! Seasoning is always right and we discover new flavor in each dish. The staff is very nice and makes fair recommendations. 4 times there and there will be many more!

If you’re looking for an authentic Japanese dining experience, Utage Sake Bar is the place to be. I can confidently say this was the best Japanese food I’ve ever had in the Netherlands, seriously amazing. From the moment I walked in, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the staff provided perfect service. Every dish was crafted with precision, bursting with authentic flavors, and beautifully presented. The sake selection was impressive, offering a perfect pairing for each course. If you’re a fan of Japanese cuisine or just looking for an exceptional dining experience, Utage Sake Bar is a must-visit. I’ll definitely be coming back.

One of my favourite restaurants in Amsterdam. Food is delicious and the staff are great!

Terrific hidden jem! The food is excellent, inventive and delicious! Range of sakes, expertly pesented. Nino and the crew took a great care of us. Definitely coming back!

Fantastic! Everything was great, price quality. Crackingly fresh food, super sake and non-alcoholic cocktails. The eggplant stole the show. Top top!

Nice izakaya, great food, good service, creative dishes; shared food concept. The unagi was excellent, as was the eggplant and fried chicken. Shrimp croquette too, basically everything!

Nice kitchen, nice staff, nice atmosphere. Had a beautiful and tasty evening here!

Great Sake selection and high quality Izakaya type of food.

Authentic, awesome food, great atmosphere. Would love to eat here every night!

Wow! What a nice Japanese restaurant!! Mouthwatering dishes, perfect service, beautiful atmosphere and fair prices! I already want to go back!

You feel like you're in Japan. The tranquility and friendliness. The food's simplicity. Enjoy everything immensely. And a sake menu that is impossible to choose from. So much choice.

Utage is a very welcome addition on our preferential restaurant list in the city..though not centrally located. ( worth the detour) Excellent very tasty original sharing dishes.. it is certainly not a typical shushi place.. but a gastronomic tinted restaurant.. friendly attentive service with plenty of time for explaining the Sake Tasting menu..we will be back

Authentic Japanese restaurant with amazing sake selection and great food! I am very impressed. The price may seem to be a bit much, but the ingredients are fresh and authentic! I had maguro don, aburi buri, tako no karaage and kuro goma pudding. Amazing! No pictures of the food because I was just so hungry. Very nice sake as well! Highly highly recommend! Initially I was so worried whether it was a good idea to come here after a bad food poisoning experience (caused by another restaurant). But this place has restored my faith in Amsterdam! I will definitely come back here whenever I’m in Amsterdam!

Excellent izakaya! They have a varied menu and all what we’ve tried is very good. The sushi was also excellent especially the Toro one.

Amazing experience at Utage! Their vegetarian options are very good - a bit on the pricey side, but worth it.

Amazing sake, food and service!

Delicious food! Everything was great and the service excellent! Will definitely be back 💕

Amazing find! Such a unique spot with a welcoming feel. Food and sake was just delicious, thank you!

The diner was great, the food delicious and the service omotenashi. We will come back!

Great food, Lovely place. The timeslots are too strictand do feel good for a sake bar

What a gem! Delicious food, good atmosphere and super friendly and pleasant staff

The most awesome restaurant in Amsterdam…. Everything is so on point and so good…. Service and food excellent…. I’m rightly recommend everyone go and try this amazing Japanese food… Thank you so much for the delicious meal and the wonderful hospitality that everyone gave to us 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻 Arigatō

The best restaurant ever in Amsterdam, true Japanese special taste. I come often every week in here. More happy than restaurants near my salon .

Great food & awesome service! Was having a terrible day & this place cheered me right up. Can’t wait to try more of the menu next time.

One of the best meals I’ve had in Amsterdam! So delicious, friendly service, and very fairly priced for really, really good food. We’ll be back!

The service here was excellent. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and patient in explaining to us the menu and sake they had. The beni umeshu was fantastic. They have a selection of small plates but also larger mains if you prefer. I highly recommend the grilled eggplant. That was our table’s favourite.

Such a hidden gem of modern japanese cuisine with amazing selection of Sake. The concept is small shared dishes. All the food we got was amazing, especially the Fatty Tuna Handroll, Miso Eggplant, Fried Octopus and Unagi Don. We also got the plum sake and the yuzu sake. Both were super delicious!! The staff is really knowledgeable and let us do sake tasting first. Cozy ambience, would definitely come back.

Visited for the first time yesterday and we were curious about this fairly new spot in the Rijnstraat neighborhood😉.. apparently the concept is not a dinner restaurant, but actually a Sake Bar with side dishes.. so, important to know in advance!😉 . .we had made a reservation & that's why we had a place (for 2 hours)..we were received very kindly & they really took the trouble to inform us about various dishes & (sake) drinks...the (most) portions are more intended for to share and certainly not big😉...we chose some fresh drinks and went for the assorted vegetables, Torikawa Ponzu (Fried Chicken Skin), Kani Cream Korokke (Crab Croquettes), Tako No Kaarage (Fried Octopus), Gyoza (Pork Dumplings) and ditches finished with the dessert Kora Goma Purin (Soya Milk Pudding with Black Sesame)...all dishes were refined & surprising in taste and also very delicious!👌..so we enjoyed it and will probably come back another time, but unfortunately there is one downside...apparently there is no heating?😳🤔because sitting on the large window side is not pleasant (cold) ..but anyway, arigato!🙏

Utage sake bar is a gem! We were there for Christmas dinner and loved both the ambiance and the food. Highly recommended even if you are not into sake / not drinking alcohol

Great choice of sake, all per glass

It was very delicious. It was a nice restaurant, like a modern Japanese izakaya. I was especially happy that fried octopus was on the menu.

Utage Sake Bar in Amsterdam offers exceptional customer service, a cozy atmosphere reminiscent of Tokyo, and a delightful menu of authentic Japanese dishes. Would definitely visit again.

A hidden gem. Fantastic food and amazing team ❤️

Delicious food, unique flavors, and very friendly staff. Top!!!

The service was very good, the staff took the time to explain the different dishes and Sake. The food was very tasty and the atmosphere in the restaurant good!

My favorite restaurant, hands down in Amsterdam. Always consistent good food and good service. We always leave happy.

Great authentic japanese food. A large variety of amazing sake. Very nice staff that explain everything really well. This place really gives you a cultural experience.

Great food, nice atmosphere and really good service! We especially liked the glazed eggplant, so delicious!

really enjoyed my dinner, it wont take long to be back i would like them to offer a bit more of sushi in the menu, currently only salmon nigiri also would like to be able to find the menu online, unsure if they change menu often or not

Cozy atmosphere, amazing food and attentive service, would definitely recommend!

Great Izakaya / sake bar. Food is great and staff is very friendly.

Cozy place with good food and service. I’ll come back for sure!

Beautiful Japanese traditional diner with plenty of food choices and very good quality raw fish. Many sake choices too and professional waiters ready to help you with any question you may have. Only one small critic on the dutch music in the background that was not really fitting with the place.

One of the best restaurants I've eaten at in a long time. The price-quality ratio is bizarre, especially for this time in Amsterdam. Very delicious food and drinks for only €60 pp. The dishes are truly authentic and indescribably delicious. We were a group of four and everyone was enthusiastic and enjoyed themselves. Nice atmosphere, small and intimate but also lively. And perhaps best of all was the excellent service, super friendly and hospitable. I called in advance to check whether the dishes suited my diet and they took great care of me. Upon arrival, I received a note with all the dishes that were suitable and for each dish it was stated what was in it and whether I could eat it. A truly hidden gem in the East, guaranteed success!

The people who prepare this food are not just cooks - they're artists! 🥰 Absolutely delicious. 💯

Simply amazing food, service and drinks!

Extremely high quality food and very friendly service. A very good selection of Sake and lovely cocktails.

Delicious food, did not choose from the menu myself but left the choice to the chef. Was all very good. In the beginning, the pace of serving the dishes was a bit high

Their small dishes are all amazing. Not a single bad choice to be made here. Can't believe it took us so long to try Utage and we will definitely be back. Try the sake flight as well, it doesn't disappoint.

This is a hidden gem in Amsterdam. Their tapas style food is so good. Everything is made in there and they are not using any pre-made food. Also they have great sake selection. Even you don’t know much about sake, they will give you some choice according to your preference and let you try. Super nice hospitality. Definitely recommended.

Ambience is austere, but the essence of Japanese. Food is super tasty and the sake is delicious. Kara Age and Eggplant alone are worth every subsequent visit. That leaves the omotenashi, which is delivered to perfection by the service. For those in and without a hurry, a wonderful place.

The best izakaya in Amsterdam! I found this hidden gem at the start of the year and have been a regular visitor ever since. Everyone I've taken there has been pleasantly surprised by the flavourful, fresh dishes and warm hospitality. This restaurant is definitely my favorite in Amsterdam. They have a great sake collection, and the food is always tasty. I recommend making a reservation as the place is usually busy! 한국 일식 ෸립지 않은 친절한 직원 & 서비스로 자주 ఩ସ하는 곳이에요. Peace be upon you 🫶🏻

Had a great evening again. The food, sake and service are fantastic!

This is a fantastic spot for authentic Japanese cuisine. The food is delicious, and the staff are wonderful. It’s a must-visit when in Amsterdam.

Amazing Sake bar with a wide variety of choices and good food to accompany them.

Best Japanese restaurant in Amsterdam imo. I appreciate the staff the most. They treat you like you’re family. My favorite dish is the Red Mullet sashimi and my favorite sake was the Macho-man. It’s a lovely and unique vibe hidden in a calm neighborhood in Amsterdam-Zuid. I can recommend it for any occasion as we went for a birthday and it was great above expectations. The staff is young but they show great passion and artisanal experience towards their craft. I think their honest love reflects in what they do and that’s why this spot is my favorite.

The food here is absolutely delicious! Every dish we tried was cooked to perfection. They use the freshest ingredients and make sure each dish is done the right way. We tasted 5 different types of sake during the dinner. The staff is very professional and hospitable and we loved everything we tried! It is recommended to reserve a table in advance.

We had a fabulous evening at the “meet the brewer event” tasting great sake from Gensaka